Random London Notes In 18 Minutes Or Less

I only have 18 minutes of Internet time left in my half-hour session on the hostel's computer. Let's see how many random recollections I can type in that time, shall we?

London smells. (This is a bad thing.) Every once in a while I walk across a random intersection and get a whiff of something. It's not deadly or anything, and in fact it smells a bit like NYC and Mexico City. Maybe it's an overpopulated city thing.

I'm surprisingly impervious to "the cold" (i.e. the weather that makes people here step out in tights, scarves, and jackets and/or cardigans). In fact, I'm actually overheating and I get way too hot on the tube. Plus it's not raining--miracle of miracles! I'm definitely regretting the wool jacket and boots and knee-high socks that I packed.

Speaking of getting hot on the tube, I sat across from an extremely cute guy on the Piccadilly line this morning. He was kind of sleepy and kept nodding off. He also sported cuts on his nose and under his eye and what looked like a recovering black eye. I wanted to ask him how he'd done that, but I was afraid he'd reply that he got those injuries in a bar brawl (plus I was just plain afraid).

Like NYC, I'm really enjoying travelling alone and meeting random people and having conversations with complete strangers. The Aussie tourists I keep bumping into are lovely. Oh, and today at lunch I struck up a conversation with a guy sitting next to me at a sandwich shop. He designs Facebook applications for a living. How freakin' cool is that?!?

The high street shops sell some surprisingly craptastic stuff. Given the exchange rate, I'm not exactly buying it, figuratively and literally.

Purchases from today: a prim cotton top that looks oh so lovely with my cameo necklace, some comfy two-toned T-strap heels, two nude-coloured miracle camis from Uniqlo. I also bought a satiny top from Dorothy Perkins and a skirt from Miss Selfridge, but upon a second look I think I might return them. I have serious reservations about the quality of both pieces.

Wicked is wicked good. The half-price tickets deals available in Leicester Square made it even better.